All he could see was her face
by Sanrionlove
Summary: A Sansa/Tyrion fanfic set after 8.05. Spoilers for 8.05. He heard his name on her lips and for a moment it almost silenced the screaming sounds of horror behind him. For a moment it almost gave him hope.
1. Chapter 1 - Tyrion

\- Tyrion -

He had a hardness in his chest. A sinking feeling.

Could not think straight, everything had happened like in a dream. After watching the city burn he just stood there, surrounded by charred black bodies, hearing the screaming pleas of hurt women and children. The smell and the ash burned his nose. Explosions were happening inside the city, were he could see Drogon burning away what he knew were the markets and streets of the town filled with innocent people. Families. The realm.

Yet he could not bring himself to think clearly, to move. He was horrified. And he knew then the dimension of the mistake he'd made.

Somewhere, somehow he started moving. Saw in his field of vision a northern wagon, walk straight to it, grabbed a couple of bags not even sure of what was inside them and kept moving towards the lonely horse who saw out of the corner of his eye.

The sensation of being in a dream came back to him as he climb on it and started riding like in a trance, aimless, hearing in his head the muffled sounds of confusion and despair.

This was it all along? This? For what he was fighting for? The cause he had put infront of his own life, of the lives of his friends. How could he not have seen it? Was too blinded by the hope he found so quickly in Daenerys, thinking of her as a just ruler, wanting to believe in her word, in her view of a better world?

He tought of Varys. He was right of course. And so was Sansa.

Sansa.

Suddenly his head cleared and started thinking straight again,. He had to see her, he had to warn her, had to speak to her one last time. To tell her she had been right all along, she, in her infinite wisdom, despite her age and the influence of her older brother.

Jon sure felt betrayed as well, he wonders what the course of action of the son of Rhagear Targaryen would be after witness the madness that bled from Danyerys.

For a fleeting moment he imagined Jon putting and end to her. Did not know for sure if he would have the strenght to do it.

He put a cloak on top of him, make sure that covered him well and starting riding as fast as he could, avoiding the King's Road. And marching North.

All he could see was her face, her hair, her eyes. He heard his name on her lips and for a moment it almost silenced the screaming sounds of horror behind him. For a moment it almost gave him hope. That not everything was lost.

Would she accept him? He wasn´t sure he deserve it after all he had done, all he had caused.

As he went straight ahead he searched in his chest until he found the badge that marked him as Hand of the Queen, took it off and threw it on the ground. Quickly the dirt and the loose grass flew on top of it until it was completely covered, almost buried.


	2. Chapter 2 - Sansa

\- Sansa -

When she got the letter from Jon she could not believe it, even if she knew what would happened with The Dragon Queen and her seek for control and power. Even if she had the best intentions. Sansa could vislumbrate the holes in the picture. The foreign troops too easily dettached from the people they were attacking, too far apart to tell if they were soldiers or families asking for mercy. Daenerys wanting to end with tyrants but being one herself, a sick joke that keeps repeting trough history.

She did not want this, she did not want all this people dead. All this suffering.

Then, the feeling of a sinking pit in her stomach took over. What about Arya? What about Tyrion? She suddenly thought of him. Had she burned him for standing up to her or was he still with her, defending his queen? She would not believe this. Not after he saw her true colors.

She felt the urge of wanting to help him, but did not know how. If he left where would he go? Across the Narrow Sea?

Or maybe... here? To Winterfell. It almost felt right, picturing him here, drinking wine next to her.

A knock on the door startled her.

"Yes?"

Maester Wolkan appeared behind the open door.

"My lady, I've come to inform you that at this very moment Lord Tyrion of the House Lannister is standing in front of the outer gate, he is alone, looking quite worn and asking for your hospitality. He requested to speak with you."

Sansa's jaw dropped, a surge of heat came rushing back all over her body. Could not believe what her ears where hearing.

"I can ask the men holding him to send him back where he came from." Said Wolkan misreading her expresion.

Quickly she said "No... I trust Lord Tyrion, I'm only surprised that he's here. Send him in"

She stood and walk to the window that looked to the courtyard, anxious for the first time in a long time. And then she saw him walking trough the gates, disheveled, with a look on his face of almost madness. He look up searching with his eyes until his gaze met hers. His look was of complete surrender, of pain, of understanding, a sweet and intimate look, despite the distance that separated them. She had to take back a couple of steps, taken over by the power of that moment, the situation of him coming to her, of her realizing that he was alive and well.

She was nervous, waiting, for a couple of minutes until she heard a soft knock on the door.

"Come in"

The door opened, slowly, and then he appeared from the darkness looking straight into her eyes.

"My lady... May we speak privately for a moment?" said as he looked worried that she might turn him down.

"Of course, please enter. Do you want some wine?"

"Gods! You **_are_** the perfect woman" She blushed at this unexpected comment but he didn't seemed to notice, his face in complete pain and distress but trying to cover it with a smile "I could not tell you how in need I am for a glass of red Dornish right now, I fear I have never needed one more in my life" He leaned against the door while closing it shut, pressing his back against it. Slowly and as if he was relieved. But at the same time it emaneted out of him an energy of shock, of hurt and horror.

She worried for him, wanting to know what could he'd seen that got him like this? Never have she seen his face like now, with this turmoil.

Took one of the cups, filled it with wine and stood up in his direction. She knelt in front of him so they were at eye level. He took the cup from her and their fingers touched

"What happened?" she asked, almost a whisper.

He looked at her for a moment breathing heavily, then looked away and took a sip of wine. Then looked back at her and drank the entire cup in one go.

"I've... I've made a mistake" said looking into the empty cup "I thought she was good, righteous and all of that and I was wrong. Thought that the words she spoke were truths and were only fantasies" Then he looked straight into her eyes "She burned them all Sansa. She rode Drogon on top of King's Landing and burned everyone, thousands of families, the soldiers. She brought despair instead of freedom. Fear and fire. And I helped her do it" His eyes began to fill with tears. "And you were right all along and I didn't listened to you, I'm so sorry, could you ever forgive me?"

Sansa was taken aback by this sudden plea. "Please Tyrion, there is nothing to forgive." She looked closely into his eyes, they were so close she could feel his breath on her cheeks. "You are not responsible for her actions, for her madness. You tried to help her" She tried to convey in her eyes the sincerity of her words, the warm behind her closed walls.

He grabbed her hand in his, she could see the struggle in his mind, the sorrow for everything that had come to pass, pushing a smile on top of the pain he said "I think we will need more wine my lady, the situation calls for it" She chuckled, stood up and walked to the table to fetch the flagon.

She filled both cups this time and sat in the chair by the fire. He could not sit apparently, kept walking around the room with his wine in one hand. They were in her chambers.

"I'm glad you are here" she said.

He stopped in his tracks "Really?"

She took a long drink "I was sure that if you were the man I thought you were, you wouldn't stand behind that horror. That you would have the courage to abandon her, to make the right choice"

"What kind of man do you think I am?" He asked looking at her intently.

She felt the rush of heat coming to her face one more. _The perfect man_ she thought.

"Maybe the cleverest man alive, and perhaps... the kindest, most decent and good hearted"

He looked at her as if he could not believe what he just heard.

"I'm afraid the wine may have dull your senses, I'm not the cleverest and certainly not the best man out there, altough I want to be" A smile came to his lips "But I am the most fortuned man in the world for inspiring this words from you" He raised his cup to her. "That I know for sure"

They both drank looking one another.

"You did the right thing"

"I took way too much time to realize what was right"

"Better late than never"

She held her breath

"Tyrion..."

"Yes?"

"Why did you came here? You could have gone anywhere, escape far away but you came here, among all places"

He stand still in front of her, kind of tilt his head over to one side because of the wine and the exhaustion from his long trip.

"When I was in front of the gates at King's Landing and everyone and everything was falling apart all around me, I heard a voice. It was you"

Sansa exhaled sharply and involuntarily moved an inch forward.

"What did I say?"

He looked at her with that intense look that she knew so well.

"You said my name. And somehow I knew that not everything was lost. That there were still people worth trusting in. Beautiful people with good hearts and better minds. I saw your face in front of me, you in all your strenght and resolution. You, who saw right trough Danyerys from the start."

She parted her lips "Tyrion, I..."

In a swift movement he walked towards her, put his hands in her tighs and started speaking in a voice so strong and determined, so afraid but also so confident of what it was saying that she froze.

"Sansa. I thought I was gonna die, and for a moment I thought I deserved it for making the wrong choice but then..." He was leaning over her knees, his upper body falling on her and looking straight into her eyes. She almost shook in surprise and took his hands in hers as she leaned forward to be close to him.

"Then... I thought of you and your face appeared in front of me, your inmense beauty was all I could see, your gaze, your character, your intelligence, your good good heart." His eyes started to fill with tears again "Telling me that you where here for me, even if you are not my wife anymore, even if you do not want me." He looked down "You saved me, you guided me trough the road and brought me here. Even if I'm going to die, because Daenerys will follow me I'm sure of it, I'm glad I get to see you one one more time before it happens"

Sansa was lost for words, the feeling that came from his voice was the realest thing she ever felt in her life.

"I would not let her touch you" she said with her voice broken.

He looked up at her "Sansa..."

"Tyrion" She leaned forward and looked deep into his eyes. With one hand she delicately traced his scar while he closed his eyes. She then put it at the back of his neck, grabbing his hair. "Tyrion" He opened his eyes.

"I want you" He parted his lips. "I trust you with my life, I admire you, I... I desire you" She wanted to look away but kept her gaze still.

"I was thinking of you just before you came to me, was thinking of how I so wanted to see you, to hear you speak" He was looking at her like he looked at her in the crypt, when they thought all was over. With complete surrender. In awe of her. "To hear my name on your lips"

"Sansa..." He lifted a hand to brush her cheek, they where so close that he could feel her trembling. He reached up until his mouth met hers in a passionate, profound and deep kiss. She never have been kissed like this, never been kissed at all maybe. This man, this clever man was undoing before her, because of her. Both breathing out of control, still holding hand in hand. They parted only a little and Tyrion spoke into her lips "I love you" he said, so firmly and convinced. And grateful.

Sansa was among the clouds, could not believe that this was real, this, to feel him in her hands, to feel the need and the sorrow all at once. He had always wanted her.

"I love you" she said, and started kissing him again and between kisses she kept repeating "I love you, I love you".

He kissed her with a smile on his lips and tears running down his face. He kissed her like he hadn't kiss anyone before. Maybe he'd never been kissed at all.

* * *

Hey guys! What an episode, right? Not sure how to feel about it. All I know is that I need these two to get together in the final episode. PLEASE.

English is not my first language, so if you see any mistakes please forgive them.


	3. Chapter 3 - Tyrion

\- Tyrion - 

They kissed for what it felt a lifetime. Her hands were on his jaw and on his hair. One of his hands traced the exposed skin of her arm, with a light feather touch from the tips of his fingers. The other had found itself grabbing the collar of her armored dress, like his body reacting instinctively to bring her closer to himself, speaking his heart desire. With this action his fingers touched the skin of her neck and she made a noise in the back of her throat that could not be true. The Gods would not be so kind, she could not had so much pleasure from the touch of him. But she told him she loved him mere seconds ago. And it wasn't a dream.

And his heart wanted to believe it, he had wanted her for so long but just now it became a truth impossible to escape. Impossible not to see.

Her lips on his. Her tongue, her intoxicating smell. Oh, he was not ready for this welcome.

It felt so right, like both of them were going to suddenly burst into flames and lift from the ground at any moment. The connection between them like a powerful magnet, so strong that it was starting to get out of control.

A sudden knock brought both back to reality and broke their kiss. A flushed and breathless Sansa was looking at him with an expression he had not seen since her younger days. Like she's been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to do.

"Yes?" She asked in the direction the noise came but without taking her eyes from him.

He was still with half his body over her lap and could not bring himself to release her collar. Their noses almost touched each other.

"My lady, please forgive me for the interruption." Maester Wolkan voice heard trough the door. "You told me to come to you at once."

"Of course" she said, shaking her head almost imperceptibly and preparing to put the mask of duty back on. "Come in"

Tyrion released her and took a quick couple of steps to position himself at the other side of the table at the same time Maester Wolkan opened the door.

The maester entered her chambers with the sound of his chains and his robes dragging slightly over the floor. He had a scroll in his right hand.

The sun had hidden himself on the horizon already and Sansa's room was only lit by the candles on her table and the fire in the heart.

He looked at both of them and for a second a brightness crossed his gaze and Tyrion felt as if he had understood what was happening. The elephant in the room.

He cleared his throat.

"My lady, a raven has just arrived. I'ts from Queen Daenerys" Sansa reached out her right hand and took the scroll. She examined the Targaryen sigil and took a glance at Tyrion. He knew what was in that letter, it was the end of the road for him, of this beautiful dream. The reality striked him like a cruel but dispassioned force. __Not yet __he thought __Please, not yet, I've just got here. __But things happened and his decisions were catching up to him.

Then she stood up and said "Thank you, Maester Wolkan, keep me informed about any news and any raven that might arrive" she said "Would you be so kind to tell the maids that they arrange a room for Lord Tyrion, as well as a bath and all the necessities he seems fit. He will be staying with us for a few days."

"At once, my lady" Wolkan nodded in courtesy.

Sansa then turned to Tyrion and said "And you, my lord, must be exhausted after such a long trip. Please make yourself at home, I do hope that you are comfortable enough."

He was taken aback, he had turned her chambers into his safe place so quickly that leaving almost felt dangerous to him. He looked at her and she looked at him with that look of distance that he knew so well but under that, and only for him to see, was a "sorry" written on her eyes.

He smiled and left his cup on the table. "My lady, I'm more than thankful for your trouble, hope someday I can repay the same hospitality I've received always here in Winterfell".

Maester Wolkan bowed his head and left the room while Tyrion walked behind him. Before closing the door he shared a look with Sansa that brought everything that had happened between them back. And he made a gesture of complicity with his face that read __I do hope you find me later... with the content of that letter.__

She couldn't resist a laugh.


	4. Chapter 4 - Sansa

\- Sansa -

Sansa walked down the hall, the fabric of her dress slightly tore the floor, her fingers felt the rough edge of the rolled paper in her hand. It was dark, only lit by torches on each side. As night fell it had begun to rain and the sound of the storm enveloped the castle. She loved those nights, felt that the rain gave her a feeling of being present in the moment, of reality happening here and now. And in this situation, going to the room she had assigned to Tyrion, helped her focus on the idea that he was there now, in her home, under her protection.

He had come for her, had come back __to __her. He had seen terrible horrors and his first instinct was to come here seeking healing, choosing this place before even his own.

Her heart began to pound louder as she approached her destiny. She had sensations in her body that she thought she could never feel, but this man provoked feelings that were too strong, which agitated her and left her perplexed. How could she feel so attracted and so shaken by a man? She had convinced herself that the horrors of her own past had broken the most tender part of her heart, forcing her to cling to her humanity even after all, but diminishing her ability to love a man again. Again ... Or would it be for the first time?

Yes. How amazing it feels. She felt it like the closest thing to being drunk without drinking a drop. Some kind of giddy happiness.

She who thought she would never choose to have someone close again, that she could never trust, much less wish for or want anyone again. That no one would be worthy, because others in her past were not. That no one would be tender enough, that there could not exist the soul that conquered her as she dreamed when she read tales of maidens and brave knights.

Someone who surprises her, whom she admires.

And then there was Tyrion.

She realized the strength of the attraction that this man caused her when she saw him again after four long years. Years in which so many things happened and among everything she always had him in her thoughts. Not all the time, but once in a while, some nights she thought of him.

At the time they parted they occupied very different roles of power, they had been a married couple, submitted under Joffrey's cruelty. Now she received him in her ancestral home, recovered with blood and justice, and with the responsibility of being the maximum head of her family. He, Hand of a foreign queen, beautiful and kind at first sight but full of a fire that intrigued Sansa. She couldn't help but feeling jealous of Daenerys from the start. To think who this woman would be that would awaken such devotion on the part of Tyrion, enough to leave his family behind, his colors and his land became somewhat recurrent. She imagined scenes between them, in which he advised her while feeling inside infinite admiration and respect, and perhaps ... attraction? love? She hoped not. Why? Why did she care who he loved? She thought of him often. She was surprised at the insistence of these thoughts, remembering Tyrion in any situation, reading in the library, touring the market, after dining in her room while looking at the stars. His kind smile, his blue eyes, his gaze, his laugh, the color of his hair, the tone of his voice.

She finally realized, she was anxious. Eager to see him, to talk to him and receive his attention, for him to see the woman she had become. She wondered if he had thought of her, if perhaps on some moonlit night his thoughts had come across her name, if perhaps some night he dreamed of her, if perhaps he had missed her at some point.

When she saw him for the first time, she was in the grip of the formalities and the welcome protocol, too focused on taking the measure of the powerful Mother of Dragons, with whom his brother had made a pact and sworn allegiance. Too many things to handle and too many people watching for it to be the reunion she wanted. But as she crossed glances with him, her heart skipped a beat and she seemed to see a flash of complicity in his eyes. He was glad to see her again, she knew.

Finally they were face to face, he was the one that looked for her. In her talk she felt she wanted to tell him so many things but she didn't know how. And didn't know if she could. Undoubtedly the environment did not allow as much familiarity as she would have liked, they were on opposite sides, and both knew it. Even so there was an electricity in the air, like some sort of connection and a definite joy of seeing each other that they couldn't hide. But the game of thrones separated them, and prevented her from getting to her knees and hugging him and telling him that she never wanted to leave him at Joffrey's wedding, that he had been the best thing that had happened to her since she had arrived in the capital. Perhaps the best man of his life so far. That she had missed him.

Before he left with the army to King's Landing she had to restrain herself so as not to get sentimental and approach him. She thought about touching him, wanted to be brave and give him a hug, a kiss on his cheek, something to remember him by, but she held back. It would be easier if she just let it go and buried her feelings. If she only took her last conversation with him as something bureaucratic, something that needed to be done, telling him that Jon was a Targaryen so he could have all the options. But she planned to do it differently and he ended up surprising her while she was watching the dragons. And he surprised her once again by seeing right through her and worrying about her, making it difficult not to let him in with his tenderness. Could it be that he __did __feel something for her? That dark night in the crypts she felt him so close, so connected to her for a moment, both so alive. It could not work between them, she had said. But perhaps deep down she wanted him to contradict her, to laugh it away with some sharp and shrewd comment that could leave her with a sparkle of hope. But he had chosen his queen. Even after kissing her hand in the crypts.  
So she let him go.

And now he was here, on the other side of the door. She knocked softly.


End file.
